crypto blog
Insiders’ guide to real-life crypto OGs: Part 1
Crypto OGs — slang for Original Gangsters — have acquired almost a mythical and godly reputation in an industry populated with libertarians, anti-government rebels, innovators, get-rich-quick scammers, hackers and degen investors with rampant gambling addictions and toxic social media behavior. Who are these OGs exactly? Unlike the rich and powerful in the traditional finance and conventional tech sector, crypto OGs are often protected by a layer of decentralized anonymity in a particularly wild corner of cyberspace. Who deserves this mythical label? The year they got into crypto? Their current net worth? Their lifestyle? Their impact on the industry? How can you separate the randos and wannabes from the OGs? Without further ado, here’s our guide to spotting OGs at any networking par...
Bitcoin analyst who called 2018 bottom warns ‘bad winter’ may see $10K BTC
Bitcoin (BTC) could dive another 50% from current levels if the upcoming winter proves a major test for Europe. That was the conclusion of a veteran crypto market analyst this week, with BTC/USD failing to reclaim $20,000 support. In an interview with Cointelegraph, Filbfilb, creator of trading suite Decentrader, forecast a potential BTC price bottom coming in at as low $10,000 in 2022. As the European energy crisis intensifies, risk assets face a major test, he believes, and the extent to which crypto suffers depends considerably on how diplomacy can win out to avert a major emergency into 2023. The figures are not just pie in the sky; at the height of the last halving cycle’s bear market in 2018, Filbfilb perfectly timed the market bottom as BTC/USD put in a floor of $3,100. Cointe...
ETH Merge will change the way enterprises view Ethereum for business
A recent report from the Ethereum Enterprise Alliance (EEA) highlights how the Ethereum ecosystem has matured to a point where the network can be used by businesses to solve real-world problems. From supply chain management use cases to payment solutions utilized by companies like Visa and PayPal, the report demonstrates how the Ethereum network has grown to become one of the most valued public blockchains. Although notable, the EEA report also points out that the rapid growth of the Ethereum ecosystem has created a number of challenges for companies, specifically regarding energy consumption, scalability and privacy. For example, the document states that “sustainability was cited as one of the main concerns, along with transaction fees, in relation to using the Ethereum Mainnet.” Th...
Bitcoin is a ‘wild card’ set to outperform —Bloomberg analyst
Bloomberg analyst Mike McGlone has labeled Bitcoin (BTC) a “wild card” which is “ripe” to outperform once traditional stocks finally bottom out. In a Sept.7 post on Linkedin and Twitter, McGlone explained that while the United States (U.S.) Federal Reserve tightening will likely determine the direction of the stock market, Bitcoin remains a “wildcard” that could buck the trend, stating: “Bitcoin is a wild card that’s more ripe to outperform when stocks bottom, but transitioning to be more like gold and bonds.” The commodities strategist shared more details in a Sept. 7 report, which noted that Bitcoin was primed to rebound strongly from the bear market despite a “strong headwind” toward high-risk assets: “It’s typically a matter of time for the fed funds gauge to flip toward cu...
Ether price could ‘decouple’ from other crypto post Merge — Chainalysis
Crypto analytics firm Chainalysis has suggested that the price of Ether (ETH) could decouple from other crypto assets post-Merge, with staking yields potentially driving strong institutional adoption. In a Sept. 7 report, Chainalysis explained that the upcoming Ethereum upgrade would introduce institutional investors to staking yields similar to certain instruments such as bonds and commodities, while also becoming much more eco-friendly. The report said ETH staking is expected to offer a 10-15% yield annually for stakers, therefore making ETH an “enticing bond alternative for institutional investors” considering that treasury bonds yields offer much less in comparison. “Ether’s price could decouple from other cryptocurrencies following The Merge, as its staking rewards will make...
Aave devs look set to receive $16.3M via retroactive funding
The DAO behind the decentralized finance (DeFi) platform Aave has accepted a proposal to reward members from Aave Companies with $16.28 million in retroactive funding for their role in the development of Aave Protocol V3. Voting for the proposal began on Sept. 6, and at the time of writing has already passed 667,000 votes in favor of the funding, more than doubling the 320,000 required. The vote is set to end on Sept. 8. According to the initial proposal, which was first pitched on Aug. 10, the Aave Request for Comment (ARC) seeked “retroactive funding” for work in developing the V3 protocol. The $16.28 million consists of $15 million for work performed by the developers over the course of more than one year and $1.28 million for costs paid to third-party auditors. The money will be given ...
Sony Music files trademark application for NFT-authenticated music
American music giant Sony Music Entertainment has signaled intentions to utilize non-fungible tokens (NFTs) after filing a trademark application covering music and artists under the Columbia Records logo. According to an Aug. 30 trademark application to the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) shared by trademark attorney Mike Kondoudis on Sept. 6, the application covers “audio and video recordings featuring live musical performances authenticated by NFTs.” #SonyMusic has filed a trademark application for the Columbia Records logo claiming plans to use it for:▶️ NFT Backed Media▶️ Music + Podcast Production▶️ Artist Management + Music distribution services..and more!#NFTs #Metaverse #Web3 #Columbiarecords #Pop #R...
Bitcoin is pinned below $20K as the macro climate stifles hope for a sustainable BTC bull run
Bitcoin (BTC) crashed below $19,000 on Sept. 6, driving the price to its lowest level in 80 days. The movement not only completely erased the entirety of the 32% gains accrued from July until Aug. 15, it also wiped out $246 million worth of leverage long (buy) futures contracts. Bitcoin price is down for the year but it’s important to compare its price action against other assets. Oil prices are currently down 23.5% since July, Palantir Technologies (PLTR) has dropped 36.4% in 30 days and Moderna (MRNA), a pharmaceutical and biotechnology company, is down 30.4% in the same period. Inflationary pressure and fear of a global recession have driven investors away from riskier assets. By seeking shelter in cash positions, mainly in the dollar itself, this protective movement has caused the U.S....
UK advertising watchdog cites 2 former reality stars for crypto ads on Instagram stories
The United Kingdom’s independent advertising regulator has upheld a complaint involving former reality show Love Island contestants Eve and Jessica Gale for “triviali[zing] investment in cryptocurrency.” In a Wednesday notice, the U.K. Advertising Standards Authority, or ASA, said the reality stars promoted crypto in an Instagram story in June at the request of an influencer named Elizabeth O’Donell and upheld claims the ad was “misleading” and “irresponsible.” According to the regulator, O’Donell was not only providing trading crypto advice — as the Gales’ stories claimed — but promoting investing in cryptocurrencies without illustrating the possible risks. “We therefore considered the ads were addressed to a general audience who were unlikely to have any specialist knowledge ...
US Fed vice chair Michael Barr favors hard line on crypto, OCC acting head no friendlier
Two United States government financial officials gave speeches on Sept. 7 in which they expressed their positions on crypto regulation. Both had reservations about crypto. Michael Barr, who was recently appointed United States Federal Reserve Board vice chair for supervision, made his first speech in his new capacity at the Brookings Institute. Acting Comptroller of the Currency Michael Hsu, reiterated his feelings about crypto at the annual conference of The Clearing House and Bank Policy Institute. Barr spoke about “some of my near-term goals and how I will approach achieving them.” He mentioned crypto in two contexts. First, he cited historical examples of private money destabilizing the economy and called for action to regulate stablecoin. Barr said: “I believe Congress should work exp...
Vermont’s financial regulator alleges Celsius and its CEO made ‘false and misleading claims’
The Vermont Department of Financial Regulation, or DFR, alleged crypto lending platform Celsius Network and CEO Alex Mashinsky misled state regulators about the firm’s financial health and its compliance with securities laws. In a Wednesday filing with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in the Southern District of New York, Vermont’s financial regulator said Celsius and Mashinsky “made false and misleading claims to investors” which allegedly downplayed concerns about volatility in the crypto market, encouraging retail investors to leave their funds on the platform or make new investments. According to the state regulator, Celsius and its CEO “lacked sufficient assets to repay its obligations” despite claiming the firm had enough funds in its reserves to mitigate the risk of insolvency. The DFR c...
How high transaction fees are being tackled in the blockchain ecosystem
High transaction fees have been a long recurring issue for users on popular blockchain networks like Ethereum and Bitcoin during periods of increased demand. However, there are protocols, platforms and methods that help users to reduce costs. What are transaction fees? Transaction fees are fees that users pay to send a transaction or interact with a smart contract on a blockchain network. While gas fees can refer to transaction fees on any blockchain, the term is mainly used to describe the Ethereum network transaction fees. Transaction fees are paid in small fractions of the network’s native cryptocurrency. For example, with Bitcoin (BTC), users will pay in Satoshi’s (very small fractions of BTC), and with Ether (ETH), they will pay in gwei. There are two main reasons users need to pay fe...
